New Jersey/ Bon Jovi

STICK TO YOUR GUNS

Writers: Holly Knight/ Jon Bon Jovi/ Ritchie Sambora

So you want to be a cowboy
well you know it’s more than just a ride
Guess you got to know the real thing
if you want to know the other side
Ain’t nobody riding shotgun
in this world tonight
And when you spit, you better mean it
you gotta make ’em all believe it
If you’re gonna be the one

Stick to your guns
Ain’t nobody gonna hurt you, baby
And go for the trigger
But only if you have to
Aim from the heart
Some will love and some will curse you, baby
And you can go to war
But only if you have to only if you have toSo you want to be the big time
some people wanna drag you down
There’s no living in the backseat
if you’re gonna drive through town
And when you pray for independence
Boy, you better stand your ground
You got to give it all you got now
or you might get shot down
Fight hard until the battle is wonStick to your guns
Ain’t nobody gonna hurt you, baby
And can go for the trigger
But only if you have to
Aim from the heart
Some will love and some will curse you, baby
And you can go to war
But only if you have to
But only if you have toWell, you know that I been through it
and I got the scars to prove it
Fight hard til the battle is won oh ohStick to your guns
Ain’t nobody gonna hurt you, baby
and can go for the trigger
But only if you have to
Aim from the heart
Some will love and some will curse you, baby
And you can go to war
But only if you have to
It’s only if you have to

‘One night, my friend Phil Soussan, (Ozzy Osbourne’s then bass player) took me to the Rainbow on Sunset Strip for a drink. As we walked in he noticed his friend Jon Bon Jovi sitting in one of the red booths with a few girls. He brought me over to say hi and introduce me. Surprisingly, Jon knew who I was and didn’t waste any time, “why haven’t we written together ?”, he asked.

The next day he came over to my studio which was in a highrise apt building near Westwood. An over enthusiastic fan had been stalking him for days and had followed him to my building. Hours later the doorman confirmed that she was still parked on the street. By the end of the afternoon we’d written most of ‘Stick To Your Guns’, and we called it a day promising to finish up the lyrics soon. We devised this ridiculous plan to get rid of his stalker, something so cliche that I’ve seen more than once in some movie, but in the dumbest way, it actually worked. Jon put on a dark wig I had that was left over from Halloween, and I stuffed my hair into his baseball cap. I left my building in his car, he left in mine in the opposite direction, and the girl followed me. When she caught up with me Jon was long gone and she just stared at me, no doubt feeling a little stupid. (I sort of felt sorry for her). I drove off to meet Jon and swap our cars back. When he went to the airport the next day she was there waiting for him. Ah well, the price of fame…

I went to NYC a few weeks later and Jon sent a limo to bring me to his house in Jersey. Richie was there and the three of us finished up the tune. They had written a lot more tunes then they planned to keep, so I was happy when Stick To Your Guns made it on the record.’ –HK